


my heart would be baroque without you

by imposterhuman



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Genius Tony Stark, Getting Together, Hence the title, M/M, art history nerd steve rogers, but not in art history, group projects
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25670971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imposterhuman/pseuds/imposterhuman
Summary: Group projects were going to be the death of Tony. On his headstone, they’d have to writehere lies Anthony Edward Stark, buried by his incompetent group members so they could let him down one last time.Okay, maybe that was a tad dramatic, but Tony was sticking with it. Group projects were theworst.He thought he’d be done with them once he got to college, but apparently college professors took notes from the sadistic tactics of his high school teachers.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 183





	my heart would be baroque without you

**Author's Note:**

> for au-gust day 2: college au
> 
> enjoy!!

Group projects were going to be the death of Tony. On his headstone, they’d have to write  _ here lies Anthony Edward Stark, buried by his incompetent group members so they could let him down one last time.  _ Okay, maybe that was a tad dramatic, but Tony was sticking with it. Group projects were the  _ worst _ . He thought he’d be done with them once he got to college, but apparently college professors took notes from the sadistic tactics of his high school teachers. 

Being Shield University’s kid genius meant that Tony’s group members usually expected him to do all the work. And he did, of course, because bringing home a failing grade wasn’t an option, but that didn’t mean he  _ liked  _ it. The projects for his science classes were fine, but his current one for an Art History class that filled his history requirement was anything but.

See, Tony really didn’t have the brain for art history. He understood all the technical stuff, but the emotional bits escaped him. When his professor had started lecturing about Expressionism, Tony had put his head down on his desk, a sharp contrast to the other students and their rapt notetaking. He didn’t have high hopes for this project. It sucked that he’d be taking his partner down with him, but maybe that would teach them to do their own damn work. 

Lost in thought, Tony missed his professor giving out the partner assignments. All around him, other students were getting up and finding their partners. Cursing, Tony stood and looked around for someone coming his way. He really didn’t want to ask his professor to repeat himself; that man scared him. Unfortunately, it was looking like he was going to have to, as everyone else appeared to have paired off.

A tap on his shoulder startled him and Tony whirled around in shock. The other student smiled sheepishly, his hand still extended from where he’d touched Tony to get his attention. 

“Hey,” said Steve Rogers. “I think we’re partners?”

Tony stared. Of course  _ Steve Rogers  _ had to be his partner. Tony had been harboring the tiniest of crushes on the boy since the start of the semester, when he’d lent Tony a pen and smiled at him with that stupid sunny smile and made Tony notice his stupid golden hair and stupid sky blue eyes and  _ stupid  _ pretty face. They were acquaintances, if not friends; while they didn’t have any other classes together, they had several mutual friends and hung out in groups sometimes. Steve, as far as Tony could tell, was the kind of good person that made other people want to be better and made Tony want to bash his head against a wall. 

Sue him, he liked to be contrary. And against his better judgement, he liked Steve Rogers. He was fairly certain that Steve didn’t share that sentiment, seeing as the boy had never displayed even a little bit of interest, but Tony could deal. He could pine in silence, it was fine.

Who was he kidding? This project was going to be  _ hell _ .

“Oh, fuck me,” Tony breathed. He’d meant for it to be under his breath, but of course he could never get that lucky. 

Steve raised an eyebrow, a light flush painting its way across his cheeks. “Maybe another time,” he said teasingly. “For now, we have a project.”

Tony’s blush was nowhere near as light as Steve’s. He wanted to scream in mortification-- Steve had heard him? And made a joke? At least he didn’t look offended. Though, Tony noted, the joke  _ had  _ implied interest… Not that he was going to focus on it! He was going to be the best project partner he could be and not embarrass himself further with his painfully unrequited feelings. 

“Yeah, a project,” Tony stuttered out. “I, uh, possibly wasn’t listening as closely as I should’ve been, so I have no idea what the topic is. Sorry. Damn, you got the short straw with this whole parner thing, didn’t you?”

Oh, god,  _ Tony  _ was the weak link in the group project, because Steve very clearly knew what he was doing. That had never happened before. In his head, Tony resolved to study whatever their topic was that night until his brain hurt, if only so Steve didn’t think he was a complete idiot. 

Steve chuckled as he shook his head. “We got assigned a presentation on the usage and effects of light in Baroque painting and sculpture,” he said, like it was supposed to mean something to Tony. 

“Okay, cool,” he said. He cast a look at the clock; class was almost over. “We can plan and stuff when we see each other in class tomorrow?”

“Actually, would you like to get coffee with me after class?” Steve asked a little nervously. 

Tony smiled and spread his hands in a self-deprecating gesture. “Dude, I was putting off planning because I didn’t want to say that I don’t know jack shit about anything you just said” he admitted. “I was gonna cram before class tomorrow, honestly.”

“Oh, I know that, don’t worry. You’ve been drawing schematics instead of taking notes all semester,” Steve’s voice was playfully teasing. “I didn’t mean to talk about the project. I meant as a date. If you’re uncomfortable with that, I--”

“No!” Tony nearly shouted. He facepalmed at Steve’s put out expression and his own idiocy. Shock was making it hard to think straight, so he stopped thinking. He didn’t need to think about his answer, anyway. “Wait, I mean yes. No, I’m not uncomfortable with that, and yes, I would love to.”

Steve’s smile was like pure sunlight. Tony wanted to bask in it forever. “Well, then,” he said, eyes sparkling. “I know a great coffee place; we can walk there together.”

“You’ve got a deal, as long as you don’t make me talk about art history,” Tony joked, gathering his things with a lopsided grin of his own. 

Steve fell in step next to him. “Don’t worry, I think we can find more interesting things to talk about.”

Tony took it all back. Group projects were the  _ best _ . 

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos make me happy :))
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr [@imposter-human](https://imposter-human.tumblr.com/)


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